Contributions to the Legislative Fund can be made at any time, with a separate check made payable to:

RFFOW Legislative Fund
9134 207th Place SW , Edmonds, WA 98026.

OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS

Thank you to the following members who sent separate donation checks.

We would also like to thank all the members who make a $3.00 contribution when paying their annual dues via check or by payroll deduction. Your contribution allows our voice to be heard and is very much appreciated!! We only list the amount if the donation is above $25.00:

The Retired Firefighters of Washington is the only politically active
organization dedicated to, and representing, the interest of all
retired firefighters of Washington State and their families. Countless
hours are spent in Olympia, on behalf of retired firefighters, working
with our state's Representatives to maintain, secure, and improve
our pensions as they apply to the retired firefighters, their families
and surviving spouses.

In addition to this serious work, The RFFOW provides a means for
retired firefighters and their spouses to keep in touch with each
other, pass along information and have some fun! We have monthly
meetings, held on the 2nd Wednesday of each month (except June,
July & August) where members have the opportunity to not only
meet old friends, but to hear the latest regarding pension issues.

So, if you're not already a member of the Retired Firefighters of
Washington, we encourage you to join. There is strength in numbers.
We are already a powerfull voice in Olympia but the greater the
numbers the louder the voice to be heard.

I want to remind you that nominations are open for the 2017 election of officers. We have five positions open, President and four Directors. Each position is for a two-year term. Director John Church notified me that he will not run for re-election because of the traffic and the time and difficulty driving from his home in Mount Vernon, WA to the meetings in Seattle. Director Pat Bartlow submitted his resignation due to health. He said that he would continue until his replacement was elected or appointed. These two gentleman will be missed. They are both dedicated and loyal. Their departure is a great loss to me and to our organization. I have the utmost respect and admiration for both of them. We thank them for their service.

As of this date I have not received any nominations. Unfortunately I don’t expect to be inundated with nominations as our group is getting older and members are relocating to other areas. The traffic is getting worse by the day as indicated by our declining attendance at out monthly meetings. If you would be willing to serve, have any questions or know of a member whom you would like to nominate, please contact us at 425-775-9080, email: infor@rffow.org or contact Pat Bartlow 206-523-0325, email kbartlow@earthlink.net

An opinion from the Los Angeles Times. For nearly 40 years now, we have been hearing that 401(k) plans are the key to a comfortable retirement. By giving a tax break to workers contributing part of their paychecks to their retirement nest eggs, the plans were designed to supplement Social Security benefits and employer pensions. Instead, they’ve become substitutes, not supplements, for employer pensions and bulwarks against continuous attacks on Social Security benefits. A new survey from Boston College’s Center for Retirement Research demonstrates, however, that 401(k) plans are destined to fail millions of Americans. They are not offered by enough employers, they are not taken up by enough workers, and for most people, and their balances are not large enough to provide for a decent retirement. All these factors weigh most heavily on middle- and lower-income workers, the segment in which the participation rate and balance accumulation are disproportionately low. The survey authors point to an important difference between 401(k)-type defined contribution plans on the one hand and traditional defined-benefit pensions and Social Security on the other. The latter provide lifetime benefits; the former provide steady retirement income only if they are managed carefully by their owners during retirement. They face the risk of either spending too quickly and outliving their resources or spending too conservatively and depriving themselves of necessities. Individuals are on their own. This is an important issue, because it goes to the heart of the retirement crisis facing millions of Americans. Conservatives never tire of claiming that the retirement crisis is a myth, based on their assertion that retired Americans have consistently under-reported their income and in fact are doing just fine. The subtext of their argument is that Social Security benefits can be cut without causing much pain. That is a faulty conclusion. The rise of the 401(k) would not be much of a problem if these accounts provided an effective way to husband assets for retirement periods that are growing longer, or if Social Security and employer pensions were as secure as they used to be. Social Security’s full retirement age is increasing to as high as 67 (for those born in 1960 or later) from the traditional 65.

Axel Drugge retired Seattle Firefighter passed away on 11/27/2017. He was 101 years old. The memorial service will be held on Wednesday December 20th at Evergreen-Washelli in Seattle at 3:00 pm. Axel’s obituary will be in the next Sunday’s newspaper.

Murphy Anthony, retired Seattle Captain, passed away on 12/03/2017. He was preceded in death by his wife Gloria and sister Delorah. He is survived by his son, Randy Anthony, (Kathy) his Grandchildren, Raina, Cory (Anna) and Joshua (Lindsey), great grandchildren Caitlin, Peyton, Rayne and Ruby Rae. He is also survived by his brother Bill Anthony, sisters Lynne Fremont and Verla Jerde (David), numerous nieces and nephews and longtime companion Bertha Wright. He was loved by all and will be greatly missed.